Blame the D if you want

But wasn't the standard for this offense 30 points (self-proclaimed).

The defense didn't cost the Steelers today. They allowed 17 points (remember Ben's INT set up the other 3).

The defense bailed out Ben last week after his pitful late game INT.

The defense won the Rams game.
The defense was good in SD.
The defense was good vs Baltimore at home (Tomlin and Scobee messed that one up).
The defense was good at Cincy (pick 6 pretty much salted it away)
The defense played great at home vs Arizona.
The defense played great at home vs Cincy (Ben blew that game with 2 4th Q INTs)
The defense was decent at KC (turnovers/fake punt)

The only games where the defense was real bad was at Seattle, vs Raiders and the 1st half last week.

Every other game, they were good enough to win if the offense played up to its potential and didn't give points away with turnovers and poor RZ offensive efficiency.

 

Team effort IMHO starting from the coaches to the guy who deflates balls.

 

Give it a rest

 

Okay, I'll blame the defense. Not so much for today but, constantly allowing 1sts after 3rd and long. letting receivers run free. Making sub-par QBs look like HOFers.

 

I could care less if they let Mallet throw for 700 yards so long as it doesn't result in points. The defense allowed 17 points (sans turnovers). Look at the pregame predictions by most of the Steeler fans on this board. Almost every one had the Steelers scoring 30-40 points, but allowing 17-20.

 

Pre-game predictions by Steelers fans? I predict that we'll be 16-0 every year and it hasn't happened........yet. Defense shares the blame in this loss.

 

You realistically predict 16-0 every year? If so, I'd like to bet everything you own against you.

The point is - and I'm assuming people were making their predictions somewhat reasonable - everyone thought the offense would torch the Ravens and the defense would be average and do pretty much what they did.

 

Of course it's not realistic. It just shows that predictions don't mean squat. The Steelers fooled everyone in the country today.

 

That's the point - the defense did what was expected today. The offense did not. That's why blaming the defense is also not realistic. They played to the level expected based on the talent on that side of the ball.

People weren't expecting the Steelers to win 9-6 or 13-7 or something like that. The offense was expected (and reasonably so) to put up a better performance. They are the ones that underachieved today.

The defense handed the Steeler offense the ball 3 times in the 2nd half trailing by 3 points and the Steeler offense managed 64 yards and an INT that set up the points in the game that ultimately proved to be the difference.

 

I can't help but feel if we had a decent secondary, not even great mind you, just decent secondary with this team, I think we're 1 or 2 more games in. That would mean a playoff run last year and home field this, and THEN who knows...

 

You do realize that Ben's INTs set up 10 of those points, right?

 

So the offense can't score and its the defense's fault.

If Ben throws 0 INTs, there's a chance the Steelers win the game 13-10.

 

Ben played like crap today, I doubt anyone is going to argue that. The Defense stunk it up too. Tomlin made some bad decisions. Pretty much a team loss.

 

I don't know that I understand your point - backing the defense with this thread, and I see you posted another thread about pre-game predicitions, which I assume is to back your statement about the 30+ point Steelers score many predicted.

But who is steadfastly maintaining that the defense alone cost us this game? It's pretty obvious (TM, Mike Tomlin; Copyright 2009) that something awry with the offense when their six game 30pt streak game to an abrupt halt. This wasn't the Ravens defense of '00.

 

You expected a shutout? Before the game, if told the defense would allow 20 points, would you have expect the Steelers to win?

 

I agree here. The offense definitely struggled with Ben, but the defense got torched by a guy who just came aboard. However you want to slice it, it was an embarrassing team loss to a club that is clearly among the bottom 5-7 in the league this year.

 

Ok so you're saying that because we expected the defense to suck, that we can't blame them because they did what we expected?? Seriously?
If you saw the game today, you can't just blame the Offense. The defense lost this game for us too.

 

What I'm saying is most people expected the defense would allow somewhere around 17-20 points, which they did. Everyone (but 1 person I believe) predicted the Steelers would win the game. Not because the defense would hold the Ravens to 6 points or shut them out, but rather because the offense would score 30 (or more) points. The defense did what just about every Steeler fan expected they would do today and now because the offense was putrid, somehow people are blaming the defense which did exactly what these people thought they would do, did.

Do you see the hypocritical irony?

 

The offense was bad, but our defense is PATHETIC! When you're giving up career passing highs to the likes of Manziel and Mallet and are constantly giving up first downs on third and long (or intermediate, or short), YOU ARE PATHETIC!! OUR DEFENSE SUCKS!!!!!!!!

 

Hate the facts if you must.

 

I don't care how great a team is or who is coaching the team. Can't turn the ball over 2 times and expect to win.

 

I remember when Steeler Defenses would beat up anything less than a starting QB for opponents.